Good-sized crowd hears information about bridge

A volunteer committee called Save Harmony Way Bridge held a meeting at Missionary Baptist Church in Crossville Wednesday night and the informative meeting was well attended.

Braden Willis Of The Carmi Times

A volunteer committee called Save Harmony Way Bridge held a meeting at Missionary Baptist Church in Crossville Wednesday night and the informative meeting was well attended.

Those in attendance included area government officials, including members of the White County Board, White County Bridge Commission (which is the private entity that currently owns the bridge) and Crossville Village Board.

The committee presented information to those gathered including the history of the bridge, which dates to 1929, the reason for the current closure of the bridge and scenarios that would work to reopen the bridge if it were taken over by a government entity.

Government entity scenarios as presented included ownership being assumed by Illinois, Indiana, a combination of the two, or by White County in Illinois or Posey County in Indiana, or a combination of the two. Or, the town of New Harmony, Ind., could take ownership.

The government ownership is needed because of needed repairs to reopen the bridge. It was closed in May last year after serious structural deficiencies were found during an inspection. The bridge was closed on one previous occasion, but was repaired and reopened.

Mike "Spud" Egbert, who serves on the bridge commission, told the 100 or so in the crowd the repairs were piling up faster than revenues.

A 2010 report indicated the bridge had some 280,000 passenger cars cross the bridge, generating gross revenues in excess of $300,000.

A 2007 study by an area college found nearly half of those using the bridge used it to get to work while others used it for travel to medical appointments, entertainment and to visit family and friends.

The economic impact has been felt mostly in New Harmony, though specialty shops in Carmi have reported much of their traffic comes from across the bridge.

New Harmony, however, has another financial interest in the bridge: The gas line that feeds the city is carried by the bridge. The cost to relocate the line was estimated to be the millions of dollars.

The inspections alone that are needed to reopen would cost about $50,000, and those would follow costly repairs. Therefore, the bridge is for sale for $1 for any government entity willing to take over the bridge since the privately owned structure is not allowed to receive public funds for any repairs.

The commission pleaded with those present to sign petitions to "let the politicians know the voters want this." More than 3,000 signatures have been gathered to date and more are needed. The deadline to turn in the signatures is only a few weeks away.

For more information, one may visit the committee's website at www.saveharmonywaybridge.com or one may find the group on Facebook.

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